Having been through the FIT Program at the University of South Florida, now 4 times. I thought it would be great to look back and see what improvements there have been.

In 2005, the first time I participated in the FIT Program I had just begun Weight Watchers for the second time and through the course of the program I lost: 29 lbs.

In 2007, the second time I participate in the FIT Program, it was just a few months after my father had passed away and I had gotten derailed on the weight loss effort. I know at the end of the FIT program in 2007 I weighed 30 pounds more than I did when my dad was diagnosed in mid-March of that year.

In 2013, my third time participating in the FIT Program, I had been living the Weight Watchers Lifestyle for almost 9 months and dropped 12 pounds in the 8 week program.

In 2014, my fourth time participating in the FIT Program, I only varied about 1 pounds from the September weigh in. I had reached my goal in July 2014 and had lost a few pounds after reaching my goal but had been learning how to maintain my weight. When I weighed in for the final weigh in for the FIT program in 2014, I had only been home 3 days from at 9 night cruise which I had showed on my home scale a gain of six pounds. The food wasn’t that good but my food choices were that limited and became increasingly poor over the course of the cruise. So I showed a weight gain of about one pound but within a week that was gone and a little more! (As of 01/17/15, I weigh about 8.6 pounds less than I did at the last weigh in in November.)

My Improvements in the 8 week program:

This improvement was awesome to me! My resting heart rate went from: 66 beats per minute to 60 beats per minute.

My body mass index decreased by: -1.48%

My walking tests went from 1 mile in 18 minutes and 4 seconds to 1 mile in 14 minutes and 40 seconds.

My sit and reach score improved from 17.5 inches to 21.75 inches.

My body composition fat percentage dropped by 16.45%

All of these improvements from being more active! Movement does a body good! Megan and Jordan did an awesome job coaching me through the program! I miss them a lot! They will be graduating this May so I am looking forward to celebrating with them post-graduation!

The Bosu Ball Plank variation is what I mentioned in my newsletter and forgot to add the picture!

Walnuts (8-10 a day) – are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which can help to keep you feeling fuller longer.

Ground Flaxseed – rich in fiber and healthy fats can help stabilize blood sugar and ward off binges and help reduce the symptoms of hormone swings.

High Fiber Granola Bars (4g or more) – in a study it was found that those who eat a fiber-rich, high carbohydrate breakfast burn twice as much fat in workouts that are later in the day than those who consumed lower fiber foods for breakfast.